Synopsis: Based on the popular video game of the same name, Alice (Milla Jovovich) and Rain (Michelle Rodriguez - from The Fast and The Furious) are the leaders of a commando-team who must break into 'the hive,' a vast underground genetics laboratory operated by the powerful Umbrella Corporation. There, a deadly virus has been unleashed, killing the lab's personnel and resurrecting them as the evil Un-Dead. The team has just three hours to shut down the lab's supercomputer and close the facility before the virus threatens to overrun the Earth.

I had been awaiting this film for months and was so pumped I did something I don't usually do. I went on the opening Friday night. ($13.50 to see a movie now, can you believe it?) Was I expecting a great movie? Well, considering video game based movies' track record, no. Was I expecting to be immensely entertained? Yes. Imagine my surprise to end up getting both.

Tomb Raider was a project that had a bad script, but Angelina Jolie (bless her heart) at least made it entertaining. Resident Evil is such a superior film; I won't do it justice by using some cliché phrase to explain it.

Let me break it down into parts to show why I think this film was a success. First, you have a competent director. Paul Anderson has experience with horror (Event Horizon) and also action, (Mortal Kombat, Soldier) so it is not a stretch to suggest he would able to meld them. Anderson also has a good flair for being able to milk suspense and uses all the items in his horror bag of tricks to their fullest. The script, which he also wrote, is tight and moves along at a good pace. It's true that there is hardly any time spent on character development, but in a film like this, an effort to do so may be more of a negative than a positive, if not done carefully. By the way, just a personal thank you to all involved in pushing for an R rating. I just wish more people had your vision. (Yes, Rollerball, I'm looking at you!)

Second, you have Milla Jovovich. Oh, Milla. You are so good at what you do. I had seen her in Kuffs and Dazed and Confused, but it is safe to say that I fell in love after The Fifth Element. Jovovich was a great piece of casting here. She is willing to take risks and has a very intense screen presence. The rest of the cast was decent, even Michelle Rodriguez. I don't mean to sound surprised, but she's a new actress and I want to like her, but anyone attached to The Fast and The Furious has a little black mark next to their name. (Sorry, FATF fans, I know there are a lot of you out there)

Third and possibly most important, it stayed true to the essence of the video game. The creatures and even some of the scenarios were lifted right out of the franchise and they were done well. Who here remembers the first time they played Resident Evil and jumping out of your seat when the devil dog jumped through the window? My head still has a bump on it from hitting the ceiling. I feel I must also say that the sound is phenomenal in this film. The THX is fully utilized and the underlying music tracks are complimentary. My chair was actually rumbling in some parts.

This is a quality zombie flick. By implementing several standards of the horror and action genres and mixing it with Anderson's skills as a director, he has done it! There is finally an all-around good adaptation of a video game. Congratulations! Final Fantasy was a great film, one of my favourites from last year, but let's face it, it had nothing to do with the video game and they had the advantage of ground-braking computer graphics on their side.

So, anyone who is a fan of horror, action, video games or all three, get your butt out and see Resident Evil! Once again, thanks to all those involved in making this a thoroughly enjoyable theater experience. This is exactly what I wanted.